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No. 606,893. Patented July 5, I898.

C. H. MERSEREAU.

FOLDING SAMPLE CASE.

(Applicabioxi filed Oct. 19, '1su7.

(No Modl.)

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

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Nate "STATE CHARLES H. MERSEREAU, OF PATERSON, NEW" JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE INVENTORS NOVELTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING SAM I LE-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,893, dated July 5, 1898.

Application filed October 19, 1897. Serial No, 655,687. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. MERSEREAU, a citizen of the United States, residing in Paterson, county of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Sample-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a folding sample case or box especially adapted for the use of salesmen, which sample-case can be quickly and readily opened and closed, and when closed will occupy very little space and can be conveniently carried around, and when fully opened each and every section of the sample-case will be completely exposed to view.

The invention consists in the improved folding sample-case, combining a series of separate but connected trays or compartments and a sectional hingedor fulcrumed cover supporting with its inner upper edges (when opened) the extended series of trays or compartments, and in the combination and arrangement of the various parts, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my improved sample-case when closed; Fig. 2, a top plan view of Fig. 1, the right-hand section of the cover and the series of compartments on that side being opened; and Fig. 3, an end elevation of my improved sample-case, illustrating the same in fully-opened position.

In said drawings, a represents a hollow base compartment or box adapted to receive atray Z), supporting, in a manner hereinafter described, two series of trays or compartments 0 o c and cl cl d, respectively, the height of each compartment being substantially equal to the height of the tray 1), while its area is equal to one-half of the area of the latter.

The compartments of each series are pivotally connected between each other and with the tray b, and on each side thereof by a series of parallel links or arms e e and ff, respectively, in a manner shown in Fig. 3 and as covered by United States Letters Patent No. 574,130, of December 29, 1896. For the purpose of strengthening said link connections and the said trays or compartments each of said compartments is provided on each of its sides with ahorizontal brace or strengthening-strip g and h, to which said links or arms are pivotally secured by screws or rivets.

The cover 2' consists oftwo halves or sections at a, hinged to or pivotally connected at their lower outer edges, as at 0 and p, with the base compartment or box a in such a manner that when said sections m and a are fully opened and the trays are extended one of said trays will rest upon the edge of its respective section of the cover and thus receive an additional support for the respective series of trays, whereby tilting or upsetting of said compartments or trays is fully avoided.

On the inner portions of the sections of the cover 1; are arranged the metallic frames q and 0", adapted to overlap each other when in closed position, and to be held in said closed position by catches or looks s s, hinged or pivotally secured to the basecompartment or box a and adapted to engage pins or studs 12, arranged on one of said metallic frames.

Any suitable locks and catches are arranged on the metallic frames of the sections on and a of the cover 2' for conveniently locking said sections in their closed position, while a handlei is secured to one of said sections for conveniently carrying the sample-case, as will be manifest. The locks s s also serve to strengthen the case and to relieve the hinges of the sections of the cover from the greater part of the strain exerted when the-samplecase is being carried around.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy 1. A folding sample-case consisting of a base-compartment, a tray in said' base-compartment, series of compartments carried by said tray and pivotally connected with and between each other, and a cover comprising two sections or halves pivotally connected with said base-compartment, and adapted when opened to support with its inner upper edges their respective extended series of compartments, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A folding sample-case consisting of a base compartment, a tray removably arranged in said base-compartment, series of compartments of uniform size but half the area of the tray carried by said tray and on each side of the center thereof and pivotally connected therewith and between each other, and a cover comprising two halves or sections pivotally connected with the base-compartment and adapted when opened to support with its inner upper edges their respective series of extended compartments, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A folding sample-case consisting of a base compartment, a tray removably arranged in said base-compartment, series of compartments carried by said tray and pivotally connected therewith and between each other, a cover comprising two halves or sections pivotally connected with the base-compartment and adapted when opened to support with its inner upper edges their respective series of extended compartments, and a catch or look carried by the base-compartment and on each side thereof and adapted to engage the said cover, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. A folding sample-case consisting of a base compartment, a tray removably arranged in said base-compartment, two series of separate compartments of uniform size,

but of half the area of said tray, arranged on said tray and on each side of the center thereof and having their lowermost compartments pivotally connected therewith, means for pivotally connecting the separate compartments of each series,and a cover pivotally connected with the base-com partment, and adapted when opened to support with its inner upper edges said series of extended compartments, substantiall y as and for the purposes described.

5. A folding sample-case consisting of a base compartment, a tray removably arranged in said basecompartment, two series of separate compartments of uniform size, but of half the area of the tray, arranged on said tray and on each side of the center thereof and having its lowermost compartments pivotally connected therewith, means for pivotally connecting the separate compartments of each series, a cover comprising two halves or sections pivotally connected with the basecompariment and adapted when opened to support with its inner upper edges their respective series of extended compartments, and a catch or look carried by the base-compartment and on each side thereof and adapted to engage the said cover, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of October, 1897.

CHARLES II. MERSEREAU. \Vitn esses:

WM. D. BELL, LoULsE SNYDER. 

